![]() ![]() There are more pictures of the band in the gallery. ![]() Their music would make great theme music for a hard trail run. They really played for the audience and made the music fun and exciting. Powerful drum rhythms combined with pipes and a didgeridoo made for some energetic and intriguing music. AlbannachĪll the way from the homeland, Albannach were outstanding. This year we had the opportunity to see two great bands Albannach and Stone Clover. You could also visit the various clan booths and get a leg up on researching your Scottish roots.Ī great feature of the Highland games is the musical entertainment that they bring to the beer tent. There was a whole midway with food and vendors selling all kinds of goods from t-shirts to kilts. In addition to all the great competitions, there were plenty of other diversions to keep you going. It was quite a treat to see these athletes perform. The women dancing make it all look so easy which is a testimony to their talent. There is a tremendous amount of techniques, skill, and stamina that goes into Highland Dance. You can wander the park and find bands working to polish their chops before competition. They also included individual band competitions. The Highland Games feature full drum and pipe corps marching during the opening and closing ceremonies. This is heighten when you hear a complete drum and pipe corps playing “Scotland The Brave”. There is something that raises the hair on your arms and stirs the heart when you hear the bagpipes. Stop by the gallery for more pictures from the athletic competitions. ![]() He was a great guy and a wealth of knowledge about strength training and the games. We had a chance to chat with Roger LaPointe from Atomic Athletic. The weights used for the farmers walk were provided by Atomic Athletic. These fellas were deadlifting 400 pounds and then walking around with it! The winning walker covered nearly 380 feet. This event was open to anyone who could pick up 200 pounds in each hand and walk with it. The last big feet of strength was the farmer’s walk. You get points for how straight you can flip the caber with 12 o’clock on the clock face being a perfect toss. ![]() The athletes have to pick up and balance a 19ft log that weighs about 175 pounds and then try to flip it end over end. The caber toss drew in a big crowd as who doesn’t love seeing someone throw a tree. You have to be pretty damn strong and have great technique to excel at this game. Competitors would swing the weight up and try to throw it over the bar which ended up at around 18 feet by the time they got down to a winner. The weight of the metal block is 4 stones or 56 pounds. We arrived as some impressively strong professional athletes were flinging some heavy blocks of metal over a bar. They have both amateur and professional competitions. One of the biggest draws of the Highland Games are the athletic competitions. It was a fine location for the Highland Games celebration. The park includes many other historic buildings which were moved to the site to preserve them from demolition. This 95 acre park was originally the homestead of Michigan pioneer Joshua Simmons which was founded in the 1820s. The games are held at the Greenmead Historic Park in Livonia. Since I have some Scottish heritage and my very own family tartan, I thought it would be fun to check out the fun and share with you. They are held on the first Saturday in August. The games are the oldest continuous Highland Games in North America. This year marked the 166th Highland Games event put on by the society. The society was founded in 1849 and supports Scottish society in Michigan through charity and scholarships. Andrew’s Society of Detroit celebrates and supports all things Scottish in Michigan. The weather was picture perfect for an afternoon of Scottish athletics, dancing, and music at the 166th annual Highland Games at Greenmead Park in Livonia. ![]()
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